Hello St. Nick's family! I'm looking forward to being back with you on June 28 (I'll be in the office starting this coming Monday), and can hardly believe three whole months have already gone by! Much has happened in those three months, not just in my family, but our parish family, as well.

- We've made it 84% of the way toward our capital campaign goal, and that's not including the generous grant from the diocese to spur us on! This Sunday is the last "official" day to hand in pledge cards (but of course we'll take them whenever you feel ready to hand them in).

- We've bade farewell to Caitlin, our wonderful nursery worker, who will be getting married and moving south later this summer. We hope to have a new nursery worker in place sometime next month.

- We've thanked and said goodbye to Susan, who served us as our organist and choir director for the past three years, and whom we will miss very much. Thank you, Susan, for the fantastic work and for all your success in building up our choir.

- AND, last but not least, we've hired a new organist and choir director, Dan Fannon! Dan will be joining us on June 28, also my first Sunday back, and I can't wait for you to meet him. I will send out more info on Dan in the coming days, but for now, please plan to be there on his first Sunday to welcome him!

I am also super grateful for Father Sipple and for all his work and guidance these past three months. St. Nick's has found a new friend, and I a new colleague, in Peter. Remember we'll be thanking him this Sunday in church and at coffee hour.

This Sunday marks the official start of summer, and the end to a season of transitions all around - in nature, in my own family, and in our parish family as well. I'm grateful for everyone's work in seeing us through, and again, look forward to being back very soon!

Faithfully,Astrid

THANK YOU TO FATHER SIPPLE!! As we celebrate Father's Day this Sunday we hope that you will join us in saying thank you to Fr. Peter Sipple. His stay with us here has come to end and we would like to extend our most gracious thank you to him on this day. The Altar Guild has arranged a special coffee hour this week after the 10am service. We hope that all will join us!

ANNUAL DRIVE lets not forget to help supply the Personal Care Pantry for Love INC. We are signed up for July but helping out in August as well would be so helpful. During the summer supplies dwindle at the pantry and they could really use our donations. The donation box is located in the back of the church. The most needed supplies are: Laundry soap, toilet paper, dish soap, paper towels and tissues. Some other items you can donate are: shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, lotion, razors, sanitary pads, bath soap, tooth paste and toothbrushes. If you would like more information please contact Liz Pavelka.

!!CAPITAL CAMPAIGN NEWS!!Capital Campaign Pledge Cards- The committee very much wants to get all pledge cards turned in by this Sunday June 21 to ease the burden on Astrid’s return from maternity leave. To date we have received pledges of $211,000 towards a goal of $265,000 from your generosity. You can mail in the card to the church; you can make a pledge online; or you can put the card in the Sunday collection basket. The amount you pledge is secondary to having as many parishioners pledge what they can. If you have misplaced your card there will be many at the church on Sunday or email Jack Devine (fox230@aol.com) and we will get you a new one promptly.

Capital Campaign Diocesan Grant- As announced on Sunday the St Nick’s Capital Campaign received an unprecedented grant of $50,000 from the Episcopal Diocese Property Support Committee. The committee noted that “the committee members were more than impressed by the professional approach that St. Nicholas has taken toward the repair and restoration of its church building, the increase in attendance over the last few years, and your willingness to undertake a capital campaign to fund additional needed work as well as your “track record” in undertaking previous projects” and that they “wanted—within its ability—to ensure that St. Nicholas’ understand that the Committee wanted to make a “lead gift” to your capital campaign to show support for the excellent work that your parish and its people have done over the last few years”. We give great thanks to Diane Levitt for spearheading our application for this important award.

FURNITURE MISSIONLove INC. is looking for furniture donations to help families in need. Please click HEREfor a full list of items they are in need of.REMEMBER THE ZION FOOD PANTRYThe food pantry at Zion is in need of additional donations. Remember to bring non-perishable food items to church each Sunday and add them to the basket in the narthex.

HAITI READ-A-THON PACKETS AVAILABLE AT THE CHURCH This is our second year with this project. Your child only has to read to raise money to support children at the Episcopal school in Darbonne, Haiti!NEXT SILENT AUCTION MEETING JUNE24To anyone interested in being part of this fabulous committee, please join us, all are welcome! Contact Joe Haubrich at Joseph.G.Haubrich@gmail.com

HELP NEEDED!! COFFEE HOUR - SIGN UPHEREWe have LOTS of coffee hour slots open. It can be simple: donuts, carrot sticks, crackers and cheese - whatever you can pick up at the store. The coffee is already made. Click on the link for ideas/instructions, and to sign up. Thank you!SUNDAY SERVICES ARE AT 9 & 10AMMother Storm is on maternity leave. During this time we welcome Father Sipple to lead our Sunday services. For his bio, click HERE.

THE "EVERYTHING ROTA"The rota (reader-server-altar guild-counter-teacher schedule) through July 26 is available HERE. IF you're not on it but would like to be, please pardon our mistake and let Dana know right away at stnicholasnewhamburg@gmail.com.

DIRECTORY AS A PDFThe parish directory is available at this link to those who would like an electronic copy.